Madonna For Macy's?

In today's "You're About Two Decades Late" headlines, WWD is reporting that Madonna is in talks with Iconix Brand Group to launch a contemporary women's line that will be sold exclusively at Macy's department stores:

The merchandise would include apparel, accessories, intimates and footwear. Label names under serious consideration for the product lines include Material Girl for the apparel and Truth or Dare for the lingerie and underwear.

I know I should reserve judgement until I see the clothes, but I must admit that my initial reaction is: Do people want to dress like Madonna? Her M by Madonna line for H&M had several cute pieces that would fit the Macy's aesthetic, but it wasn't as well received as people expected.  Which brings us to the subject of the success rate of celebrity lines:

Speaking to American Public Media, Marshall Cohen, NPD's senior analyst, estimated that the misses in celebrity lines outnumber hits by a two-to-one margin. Jessica Simpson had a successful footwear collection but has struggled with sportswear. Jennifer Lopez pulled the plug on her Sweetface last year amid the recession. Other fashion failures included efforts from Eve, Paris and Nicky Hilton and Whitney Port. (SOURCE: Retail Wire)

Madonna must bring something new and fresh, and naming your line Material Girl or Truth or Dare won't cut it.

HR Quarterly Round-Up: Bulgari, Jones Apparel, H&M

Garland necklace set with superb fancy colour pearls surrounded by sparkling clusters of soft color tones fine gemstones

(Photo: Bulgari.com)

Bulgari Revenue Falls 5.1% on Lower Luxury Spending (Bloomberg): Bulgari SpA, the world’s third- largest jeweler, said revenue declined 5.1 percent in the fourth quarter as the recession curbed consumers’ appetite for expensive watches and perfumes.

Jones Profit Could Miss Expectations; Shares Fall (Reuters): Retailer Jones Apparel Group Inc (JNY.N) reported a preliminary fourth-quarter profit that could be below analysts' current expectations, sending its shares down nearly 7 percent on Thursday.

H&M Net Profit Up 21%, Warns On Weak Margins (Marketwatch): Swedish fashion retailer Hennes & Mauritz on Thursday reported fourth-quarter net profit rose to 6.15 billion Swedish kronor ($844 million), or 7.44 kronor a share, against profit of 5.09 billion kronor, or 6.15 kronor per share, in the same period a year ago.